Recording apparatus

ABSTRACT

A recording apparatus having a reproduction means to play digital data from a recording medium recorded with that digital data and retrieval information, a recording means to write the digital data reproduced by the reproduction means and record the retrieval information on a control table, and a control circuit to search the control table by using the retrieval information when the digital data from the reproduction means is written by the recording means, to permit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording means when the retrieval information is not recorded on the control table, and to prohibit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording means when the retrieval information is already recorded on the control table, and also prevent the mistaken duplicate copying of the digital data with the recording means.

CROSS-REFERENCE INFORMATION

This application is a continuation application of, and claims priority to, U.S. application Ser. No. 09/692,601, filed Oct. 19, 2000, and claims priority to Japanese Application Nos. 11-297937, filed Oct. 20, 1999, and 2000-036807, filed Feb. 15, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a recording apparatus.

2. Description of Related Art

A HDD (hard disk drive) installed in audio device used for instance while mounted in a vehicle and capable of copying the contents of a CD (compact disc) could search for and play a portion of the CD the user wants to hear, faster than a CD changer, etc.

The capacity of a music CD in such cases is approximately 760 megabytes (equal to approximately 44.1 kHz

˜16 bits

˜2 channels

˜60 seconds

˜74 minutes). The digital audio data of the CD can also be compressed to approximately one-tenth the original size by appropriate use of data compression technology.

Therefore, even a CD fully stored with music, can be compressed to approximately 80 megabytes of data, so that if a HDD (hard disk drive) of 8 gigabytes is available, then over 100 CD compact discs can be copied onto that HDD.

In other words, if the contents of a CD can be compressed onto a HDD (hard disk drive) then a much greater quantity of CDs could be handled compared for example to a vehicle mounted CD changer that handles about 10 CDs at one time. Furthermore, the desired CD can also be quickly selected and played back.

However, when 100 compact discs are copied in a system structured in this way, the same CD is sometimes mistakenly copied twice. In order to avoid such trouble, the user has no other choice but to monitor the copied CDs that requires for instance, making a note of the name of the copied CD.

However, managing 100 compact discs is very large task. Consequently, the same CD might still be mistakenly copied twice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention has the goal of resolving this problem with the related art.

This invention is a recording apparatus having a reproduction means to play for example, digital data and retrieval information for that digital data recorded on a medium, a recording means to record written digital data played by the reproduction means and the retrieval information recorded on a control table, and further having a control circuit to search the control table by using the retrieval information when the digital data from the reproduction means is written by the recording means, and to permit writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording means when the results of this search show that the retrieval information is not already recorded on the control table, and to prohibit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording means, when the results of the search show the retrieval information is already recorded on the control table, consequently, the contents of a recording medium already copied on a recording apparatus are prohibited from being recopied onto the recording apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of the embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a drawing showing the control table of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a drawing showing a typical display of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A typical view of the apparatus of this invention centering mainly on the audio signal line is shown in FIG. 1.

The reference numeral 10 denotes a CD (compact disc) recorded for example with digital audio data for music. When the CD 10 is a compact disc conforming to “CD text” standards, the incidental text (character) information of the CD 10, such as data recorded with the title and performer of CD 10 for example, is recorded in the R through W channels contained in the tracks of the CD 10 lead-in area.

The CD 10 is reproduced by the reproduction means constituted by the CD drive device 21. Digital audio data for reproduction processing such as demodulation and error correction is extracted from this CD drive device 21, and this digital audio data is supplied to a bus line 29.

A buffer memory 22 as well as a data compression encoder circuit 23 are connected to the bus line 29. The encoder circuit 23 is comprised for instance by a DSP, and compresses the digital audio data reproduced from the CD 10 to about one-tenth the original size by ATRAC (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding) processing (ATRAC is a registered commercial trademark).

A HDD 24 for instance is connected as a large capacity recording means to the bus line 29. This HDD 24 is for accumulating the digital audio data (digital audio data after digital compression) of the CD 10, and for instance has a capacity of 16 gigabytes. The HDD 24 can therefore record and reproduce compressed digital audio data from at least 100 CD (compact discs).

At least one control table 24T such as shown in FIG. 3 is provided in the HDD 24. This control table 24T holds information for specifying the write source in FIG. 10 when CD 10 digital audio data was compressed and stored or written in the HDD 24, and also holds the write position (write position per the HDD 24) on each track of the CD 10.

For example 100 data boxes from #1 to #100 are provided in the control table 24T. Each of these data boxes #1 through #100 corresponds to digital audio data for one CD (compact disc) recorded on the HDD 24. These data boxes #1 to #100 are also used as CD Nos. when the contents of a CD copied onto the HDD 24 are selected.

Cells entitled “TOC {Table of Contents} Data”, “Number of Tracks”, “Track 1 Start Position & End Position”, “Track 2 Start Position & End Position” . . . “Final Track Start Position & End Position”, and “CD Title” are provided in the respective data boxes (CD Nos.) #1 to #100.

Here, along with the CD 10 containing the time information relating to this track in the TOC, each CD 10 also generally has a different TOC. This TOC data is used as data for searching (retrieving) or for designating a particular CD 10. This TOC data is written as search (retrieval) information in the “TOC data” cell.

All track numbers for the corresponding CD 10 are written in the “Number of Tracks” cell. The respective write start positions and write end positions in the HDD 24 for the respective tracks (tracks in CD 10) are written in the “Track 1 Start Position & End Position” . . . “Final Track Start Position & End Position” cells.

The text (character) data displayed as the title of CD 10 at times such as during reproduction from HDD 24 is written in the “CD Title” cell. For instance, when the CD 10 is a CD of the appropriate standards, the text (character) information recorded in the R through W channels of that lead-in region can be copied and written.

A decoder circuit 25 and an audio output circuit 26 are also connected to the bus line 29. In this case, the decoder circuit 25 is for instance comprised of a DSP, and performs decode processing complementary to the encoder circuit 23 to decode the compressed digital audio data to return it to digital audio data prior to data compression.

The audio output circuit 26 contains a D/A converter circuit. When digital audio data is supplied, the D/A converter circuit converts this digital audio data to analog signals L, R by digital/analog conversion. These audio signals L, R are supplied by way of the output amplifier 27 to the left and right channels of the speakers 28L and 28R.

Along with a buffer memory 31 and a display control circuit 32 connected to the bus line 29, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 33 is for instance connected as a display means to the display control circuit 32 to display various kinds of information.

A reference numeral 41 denotes a control circuit to control overall operation of the apparatus. This control circuit 41 is for instance comprised of a microcomputer and is connected to the bus line 29. A routine 100 such as shown for example in FIG. 2 is provided in the control circuit 41 as a portion of the program to run the CPU. Detailed information on this routine 100 is given later on but FIG. 2 only shows an excerpt of the routine 100 relating to this invention.

An operation key 42 comprised of a non-locking type push button switch as the means for user input operation is also connected to the control circuit 41.

In a structure of this type, by executing the routine 100 with the control circuit 41 microcomputer, [Normal CD reproduction] and [Recording from CD to HDD] are implemented as follows.

[Normal CD Reproduction]

This operation is reproducing (playing) the CD 10 just the same as a typical CD player and obtaining an audio output.

In other words, when the CD 10 is set into the CD drive device 21, the control circuit 41 CPU starts the processing from step 101 of routine 100, and next in step 102, the TOC data is read out from the CD 10 by the CD drive device 21. This read out (loaded) TOC data is supplied to and stored in the control circuit 41 from the CD drive device 21 by way of the bus line 29 and then is at key input standby in step 103.

The current case is [Normal CD reproduction] so pressing the reproduction key (play) from among the keys 42, makes the processing precede from step 103 to step 111, and the key input in step 103 is identified.

The reproduction (play) key is pressed in the current case so the processing precedes from step 11 to step 112. In step 112, the normal reproduction processing for the CD 10 is implemented.

In other words, the digital audio data is reproduced (played) from the CD 10 by the CD drive device 21, supplied to the audio output circuit 26 from the CD drive device 21 by way of the bus line 29, and D/A (digital/analog) converted to audio signals L, R. These audio signals L, R are supplied to the speakers 28L and 28R by way of the amplifier 27.

In this case, the track is reproduced (played back) from CD 10 according to the user's instructions and the TOC data stored in the control circuit 41 in step 102 is referred to at this time. Further, information such as the track No. of the track during playback (reproduction) and the elapsed time are displayed on the LCD 33.

Then, when playback of all tracks specified by the user is finished, the process proceeds to step 119 and the routine 100 ends.

The apparatus of FIG. 1 can therefore perform reproduction (playback) of the CD 10 in the same way as a typical CD player.

[Recording from CD to HDD]

This operation is compressing the CD 10 digital audio data and storing or writing this compressed data in the HDD 24.

In other words, when the CD 10 is set in the CD drive 21, the TOC data is loaded (read out) from the CD 10 as previously described and stored in the control circuit 41, and afterwards set to key input standby in step 103.

The current case is [Recording from CD to HDD] so that pressing one of the copy keys 42, makes the operation processing precede from step 103 to step 111, and the key input in step 103 is identified.

When identified in the current case, the copy key was pressed so the processing proceeds from step 111 to step 121. In step 121, the “TOC data” cell of the data in the control table 24T is searched for as the retrieval text for the TOC data loaded (read out) in step 102.

Then, the subsequent processing of retrieval (search) results is performed in other words, in step S122, the search (retrieval) results of step 121 are identified, and when the TOC data loaded in step 102 is not in the “TOC data” cell of control table 24T, the processing then proceeds from step 122 to step 123. In step 123, the CD 10 is copied onto the HDD 24.

In other words, the digital audio data from the CD 10 is reproduced by the CD drive device 21. This digital audio data, along with being written in the memory 22 from the CD drive 21 by way of the bus line 29, is also loaded (read out) from the memory 22 at the specified timing. Then, this read-out digital audio data is supplied to the encoder circuit 23 by way of the bus line 29 and data-compressed by ATRAC processing and the now compressed digital audio data is supplied to the HDD 24 by way of the bus line 29. In this way, the CD 10 digital audio data is written into the HDD 24 while data-compressed.

At this time, the information copied from CD 10 and tracks (tracks in CD 10) is registered in the control table 24T of the HDD 24. In other words, if the copy of CD 10 is the No. nth (n=any of 1 to 100), then the TOC data stored in the control circuit 41 that was loaded from the CD 10 in step 102, is written in the “TOC data” cell of the CD #n box of control table 24T. The number of tracks of CD 10 is also written in the “number of tracks” cell of the CD No. #n box.

Further, the write start position and write end position when the digital audio data of CD 10 is written into HDD 24, are written into the corresponding cell from among the “Track 1 Start Position & End Position” . . . “Final Track Start Position & End Position” cells of the CD #n box.

When the text (character) information for the CD 10 and tracks is input from the keys 42, that character data is stored in the memory 31, and when copying of the CD 10 is complete, that text information that was loaded from the memory 31, is written in the “Title” cell of the CD #n box of the control table 24T. When the CD 10 data has CD text, that text (character) information added to CD 10 is also written.

In this way, when the contents of the CD 10 are written into HDD 24, the corresponding portion of the control table 24T is also rewritten.

When the above processing is complete, the processing proceeds from step 123 to step 119, and routine 100 ends.

Therefore, when a CD 10 is not yet copied onto the HDD 24, information specifying that CD 10 is registered in the control table 24T along with the copied contents of that CD 10.

In step 122 on the other hand, when the TOC data read out in step 102 is in the “TOC Data” cell of the control table 24, the processing proceeds from step 122 to step 131. In step 131, the specified data is supplied from the control circuit 41 by way of the bus line 29 to the display control circuit 32. As a result, as shown for instance in FIG. 4, a string of characters constituting a caution sentence is displayed to show that the CD 10 whose copy is being attempted, has already been copied onto the HDD 24.

Next, the processing proceeds to step 132 and the CD 10 is ejected from the CD drive device 21 in compliance with instructions from the control circuit 41. This routine then ends in step 119.

[Reproducing from HDD]

In this operation, the contents of the CD copied onto the HDD 24 are played back (reproduced). The processing routine for this playback is not shown in the drawings.

In other words, when playback from the HDD 24 is commanded by way of the keys 42, the data from the “Title Cell” cell of the data boxes registered from among the data boxes #1 to #100 of the control table 24T is read out. This data and the data for the matching CD #n are supplied to the display control circuit 32. Consequently, the CD #n and corresponding display with the “Title” are displayed in the LCD 33.

When the keys 42 are operated and the desired CD #m then input, the data written into the cells from among the “Number of Tracks” through “Title” cells of the control table 24T boxes is read out, and stored in the control circuit 41.

Next, by using the data stored in this control circuit 41 in the same way as the TOC data written on the CD, the digital audio data corresponding to the CD #m in the CD contents, are loaded from HDD 24 and output as audio.

In this case, the digital audio data, when loaded from the HDD 24, is supplied to the decoder circuit 25 and expanded to the original audio data after being buffered by the memory 22. This now expanded digital audio data is then supplied to the audio output circuit 26. The playback (or reproduction) audio from the digital audio data loaded from the HDD 24 is therefore output from the speakers 28L and 28R.

Information such as the track No. and elapsed time of the track (CD track) being played back is displayed on the LCD 33 even during playback (reproduction) from the HDD 24.

[Summary]

Thus, in the reproduction device of FIG. 1, when the contents of the CD 10 are copied onto the HDD 24, a check can be made to find whether or not all of that CD 10 was copied, by referring to the control table 24T, and copy implemented only when the content were found not to have been copied. Therefore, by preventing the same CD from being copied twice, the useless expenditure of the memory capacity for instance of the HDD 24 can be prevented.

Furthermore, monitoring by the user is not required for checking whether or not a CD was copied onto the HDD 24 and duplicate copying is automatically prevented.

Also, when not known whether copy of a particular CD onto the HDD 24 is finished, that CD can be inserted into the CD drive device 21 and the copy key operated. If not previously copied, a copy of that CD is then made onto the HDD 24, however if copying has already been completed, then a message showing copy was already completed is displayed and duplicate copying is not implemented.

Consequently, the above processing requires no special hardware and is accomplished just by providing the control table 24T in the HDD 24.

Furthermore, desired text information can be written into the “Title” cell of the control table 24T so that information such as a special title can be attached to that copy when the CD is copied onto the HDD 24.

[Others]

In one case in the routine 100 of FIG. 5, when the CD 10 has previously been copied onto the HDD 24, the process proceeds after step 132 to step 133, and the contents of the CD 10 whose copy onto the HDD 24 was attempted are reproduced (played back) from the HDD 24.

Therefore, in this case, when the copying of a CD already copied onto the HDD 24 is again attempted, not only is a caution display issued on the LCD 33, but a check can also be made by playing back the audio.

The information written in the “Title” cell of the control table 24T as described above, can also be collected and written at some other time after copying onto the HDD 24 and in such cases, after copy of the CD contents is complete, information such as the date and time the copy was made can also be written by default.

Information written into the “Title” cell can be written into a nonvolatile memory. The CD 10 can also be reproduced (played) and when those contents are copied into the HDD 24, the reproduction speed can be a higher speed than the standard speed. The control table 24T may be made to show the corresponding relation of the TOC data with the digital audio data written in the HDD 24.

The invention as described above, renders the effect that mistaken copying of the same CD twice is prevented and that the wasted expenditure of memory capacity for instance of the HDD is eliminated. Further, whether a CD has been copied or not onto the HDD can be known without requiring any monitoring by the user and double copying of the CD can automatically be prevented.

This invention renders the further effect that, when not known whether copy of a particular CD is finished or not, the copy of that CD can be attempted, and if not previously copied, then copying of that CD is then executed. However, if the CD was previously copied, then duplicate (two-time) copying of the CD is prevented. Furthermore, the above process is accomplished just by providing a control table in the HDD and no special hardware is required. 

1. A computer-implemented digital audio recording apparatus comprising: a bus configured to transfer data between devices connected thereto; a controller configured to execute computer-readable instructions that when executed by a processor implement control operations, said controller being operatively connected to said bus; an interface configured to receive digital audio data including music data and information data that corresponds with the music data, said interface being operatively coupled to said bus; a non-volatile memory operatively connected to said bus and configured to store the music data and information data received via said interface; a display configured to display thereon a description of the information data corresponding to said music data, wherein said controller is configured to search said information data prior to recording a duplicate copy of said music data, and if said controller determines that said music data would be a duplicate copy of music data already stored in said non-volatile memory, said controller initiates a process for displaying a message on said display inquiring whether the user chooses to continue with the recording.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the interface connects to an optical disk drive which provides the digital audio data.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the optical disk drive being a CD drive.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the music data is recorded on a track of a CD.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information data includes a title of the music data.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information data includes a track number.
 7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the music data includes all tracks of a CD read by the CD drive.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said non-volatile memory being a hard disk drive.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said music data corresponds to a plurality of tracks, said controller is configured to search the information data associated with said plurality of tracks, and said message indicates that the plurality of tracks are already stored in said non-volatile memory.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said information data includes TOC data.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said display includes a list of titles corresponding to the plurality of tracks.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to record the music data and the information data in said non-volatile memory when the controller determines that the music data would not be a duplicate copy.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to record the music data and the information data when a user input indicates that the music data should be stored regardless of whether the music data would be at least one of a duplicate copy and an overwritten copy of the music data already stored on the non-volatile memory.
 14. A computer program product having instructions that when executed by a processor implement at least a portion of a digital audio-recording apparatus comprising: a controller configured to implement control operations between a data source and a non-volatile memory; an interface mechanism configured to receive digital audio data including music data and information data that corresponds with the music data; a data storage mechanism configured to store the music data and information data received via said interface mechanism; a display control mechanism configured to send information data corresponding to the music data to be displayed on a display, wherein said controller is configured to search said information data prior to recording a duplicate copy of said music data, and if said controller determines that said music data would be a duplicate copy of music data already stored in said non-volatile memory, said controller initiates a process for displaying a message on said display inquiring whether a user chooses to continue with the recording.
 15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein, the interface mechanism is configured to connect to an optical disk drive which provides the digital audio data.
 16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the optical disk drive being a CD drive.
 17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the music data is recorded on a track of a CD.
 18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the information data includes a title of the music data.
 19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the information data includes a track number.
 20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the music data includes all tracks of a CD read by the CD drive.
 21. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said non-volatile memory being a hard disk drive.
 22. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said music data corresponds to a plurality of tracks, and said controller is configured to search the information data associated with said plurality of tracks, and said message indicates that the plurality of tracks are already stored in said non-volatile memory.
 23. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said information data includes TOC data.
 24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein said display includes a list of titles corresponding to the plurality of tracks.
 25. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to record the music data and the information data in said non-volatile memory when the controller determines that the music data would not be a duplicate copy.
 26. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said controller is configured to record the music data and the information data when a user input indicates that the music data should be stored regardless of whether the music data would be at least one of a duplicate copy and an overwritten copy of the music data already stored on the non-volatile memory.
 27. A computer implemented method comprising steps of: dispatching control operations between a source of data and a non-volatile memory; receiving digital audio data including music data and information data that corresponds with the music data; storing the music data and information data received via an interface mechanism on a non-volatile memory; sending information data corresponding to the music data to be displayed on a display; searching said information data prior to recording a duplicate copy of said music data; determining whether said music data would be a duplicate copy of music data already stored in said non-volatile memory, and if so displaying a message on said display inquiring whether a user chooses to continue with the recording, but if not, not displaying said message.
 28. The method of claim 27, wherein, the said receiving step includes receiving the digital audio data from an optical disk drive.
 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the optical disk drive being a CD drive.
 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the music data is recorded on a track of a CD.
 31. The method of claim 27, wherein the information data including a title of the music data.
 32. The method of claim 27, wherein the information data including a track number.
 33. The method of claim 29, wherein the music data including all tracks of a CD read by the CD drive.
 34. The method of claim 27, wherein said non-volatile memory being a hard disk drive.
 35. The method of claim 27, wherein said music data corresponds to a plurality of tracks, said searching step includes searching the information data associated with said plurality of tracks, and said message indicates that the plurality of tracks are already stored in said non-volatile memory.
 36. The method of claim 27, wherein said information data includes TOC data.
 37. The method of claim 35, wherein said display includes a list of titles corresponding to the plurality of tracks.
 38. The method of claim 27, wherein the storing step includes storing the music data and the information data in said non-volatile memory when a controller determines that the music data would not be a duplicate copy.
 39. The method of claim 27, wherein the storing step includes storing the music data and the information data when a user input indicates that the music data should be stored regardless of whether the music data would be at least one of a duplicate copy and an overwritten copy of the music data already stored on the non-volatile memory.
 40. A computer implemented method comprising steps for: dispatching control operations between a source of data and a non-volatile memory; receiving digital audio data including music data and information data that corresponds with the music data; storing the music data and information data received via an interface mechanism on a non-volatile memory; sending information data corresponding to the music data to be displayed on a display; searching said information data prior to recording a duplicate copy of said music data; determining whether said music data would be a duplicate copy of music data already stored in said non-volatile memory, and if so displaying a message on said display inquiring whether a user chooses to continue with the recording, but if not, not displaying said message. 